The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) student representative council (SRC) has officially launched its 2026 SRC Trust Fund fundraising campaign, aimed at ensuring that financially vulnerable students are not excluded from their studies due to unpaid registration fees. Funds raised through the campaign will be used to assist self-funded students who are unable to cover their registration costs for the 2026 academic year. The initiative is ongoing and forms part of the SRC’s broader commitment to fighting financial exclusion and widening access to higher education.
The demand for assistance continues to grow with a total of 2 001 students applied for support from the SRC Trust Fund this year — an increase of 286 applications compared to last year. If the trend continues, the SRC expects the number of applications to rise to approximately 2 287 in 2026. The university’s Executive Director for Corporate Relations, Normah Zondo said the Trust Fund was established to prevent academically deserving students from falling through the cracks due to financial hardship, ensuring that young people committed to completing their studies and contributing to South Africa’s economy are not lost along the way.
Zondo said the 2026 campaign has two primary objectives which is to to raise sufficient funds to cover all students in need, and to mobilise community members, alumni and stakeholders to play an active role in supporting student access to education. Donations made to the Trust Fund are channelled through the UKZN Foundation and are paid directly into the fee accounts of approved applicants, ensuring transparency and accountability in how funds are used. SRC Treasurer General said the campaign reflects the SRC’s responsibility to use its influence and platform to address systemic barriers faced by students.
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“Our commitment as an SRC to ensure that no student is left behind is underpinned by the understanding that, because we have the ability, the influence and the platform, we must do all that is in our power to liberate students from the shackles that prevent them from completing their university journeys,” the treasurer said. “Through this campaign, we are tackling financial exclusion as a barrier to education head-on.”
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